BOSTON -- Even before the 2014-15 season ended without a playoff berth for the Boston Bruins, many of the team's personnel knew changes were coming.
It was the first time in eight seasons that the Bruins did not play spring hockey, and it didn't take long for team president Cam Neely to fire general manager Peter Chiarelli and promote Don Sweeney into that role.
Offseason trades followed, and major players like Milan Lucic and Dougie Hamilton were shipped out of town. Call it a rebuild, or a reshuffling -- but, regardless, the Bruins were clearly trying to change what wasn't working while still aiming to win another Stanley Cup that season.
With only two games remaining in the 2015-16 campaign and the Bruins on the outside looking in at the playoffs, it appears the plan didn't work. So what will become of this team in the days and months ahead?
If Boston suffers a similar fate in the next few days as it did a year ago and misses the playoffs for the second consecutive season, changes will ensue -- again. Coach Claude Julien will likely top that list. The Bruins' chances of re-signing veteran forward Loui Eriksson will likely dwindle. And, though forward Brad Marchand has one season remaining on his current contract, don't be surprised if he does not sign an extension any time soon (more on that later).
It hasn't helped that Boston has gone 2-7-1 over its past 10 games. Three teams -- the Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers and the Bruins -- are fighting for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, and even though the Red Wings defeated the Flyers 3-0 Wednesday night, the Bruins cannot be eliminated with a loss to Detroit on Thursday. Detroit can clinch a playoff spot for the 25th consecutive season with a win of any kind in Boston. The Flyers will clinch only if they earn five points in their final three games.
It might sound elementary, but to earn a postseason berth the Bruins need more than just goaltending, defense and offense. They need leadership, determination and passion. Plain and simple: The Bruins' lack of execution of late has been pathetic. They need to show a little something extra during the final two games.
When the Bruins' defensive game is strong -- at least under Julien -- it translates into a potent offense, but that hasn't been the case this season. Blaming injuries is not an excuse either.
In December, Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs said that he was pleased with the direction of the organization and believed that Julien was a candidate for the Jack Adams award. It probably helped that the team went 7-4-3 that month. Julien passed Art Ross as the organization's all-time leader in coaching wins when he earned his 388th regular-season victory on March 7. In his ninth season behind Boston's bench, Julien is 392-222-88 in 702 games with the Bruins.
If the Bruins do not earn a postseason berth, Julien should not be blamed or fired. It would be wrong for the Bruins to make a coaching change. If Julien is dismissed, he won't be out of work for long.
Julien can't be blamed for the team's misfortunes. If anything, the Bruins are still battling for a playoff position because of his coaching. He has coached inexperienced players and has had to tweak his lineup more often than he would like. There's a difference between coaching and teaching -- and he's done more of the latter this season.
"I'm not answering those questions," Julien told reporters in response to queries about his job security after the team's practice on Wednesday as it prepared to host the Red Wings on Thursday night at TD Garden. "Every year I get the same thing, so I'm not even thinking about that."
As far as Eriksson, the pending unrestricted free agent wants security for him and his family. If he doesn't believe the Bruins can balance giving him a massive pay raise, along with winning, it wouldn't be a surprise if he signed elsewhere.
Another missed playoff appearance for the Bruins could also mean the beginning of the end for Marchand in Boston. He has one season remaining on his current contract and will become an unrestricted free agent after 2016-17. He will want elite-player kind of money, upward of $7 million per season, and because he's already won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011, maybe he'll listen to former teammates like Lucic and realize there is life outside of Boston.
All of these scenarios are possible, depending on the outcome of this season.
There is, of course, still a possibility that the Bruins could sneak into a postseason berth. If they do, they're also one of those teams that could win a series or two in the playoffs, depending on the matchups. After all, the Bruins do have a veteran core that understands what it takes to reach, and win, the Stanley Cup finals.
That's not to say this team, as currently constituted, has what it takes to reach the finals for a third time in the past six seasons. "I think they'll get in," one Western Conference scout said, "but won't do a lot of damage in the playoffs."
The Bruins are on the verge of ending their season prematurely again. Inconsistent stability has affected the team's success all season. If they're on the outside looking in for a second consecutive season, more changes will follow.